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China, Russia Look to Boost Film Co-Productions

The countries have signed an agreement on cooperation in the audio-visual sector

Russia and China have signed an agreement on audio-visual cooperation under the auspices of the two countries' film cooperation sub-commission, which has explored ways for the countries to work together.

Russia hopes the pact will boost movie co-productions between the two countries.

"This [agreement] will allow us to attract extra resources for the implementation of large-scale productions and will help us to step up exhibition opportunities for Russian-Chinese co-productions," Vyacheslav Telnov, director of the film department at Russia's culture ministry, was quoted as saying by the ministry's press service.

According to Telnov, co-productions would yield higher box-office revenue in both countries. He cited examples of several major film projects launched in Russia that could be executed with a Chinese partner, including Travel to China 3D, Ekipazh (The Crew), a remake of a 1979 Soviet action thriller, and several animated films.

The sub-commission also discussed the exhibition of Russian films in China, including new WWII action movies Batalyon Smerti (The Death Batallion) and A Zori Zdes Tikhiye (The Dawns Here are Quiet), which it said have good prospects for a wide release in China.

So far, cooperation between Russia and China in the film domain has been limited, with co-productions few and far between and very few Chinese movies released in Russia and vice versa.